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The potato is a starchy food that contains enough moisture in its composition
to cook the starch. This moisture is in the form of a watery juice, in
which is dissolved the nitrogenous matter, the various salts, sugar, gum,
etc. The starch cells are surrounded and penetrated by this watery bath.

In cooking, the nitrogenous juice is coagulated, in part at least, by
the heat, the starch granules swell and burst, and the starch absorbs
the watery part of the juice. When this stage is reached, if the moisture
has been in the right proportion, all parts of the potato will present
a light, dry, glistening appearance. Every one concedes that such a potato
will not cause digestive disturbance. However, the moisture is not always
in the right proportion. Ripe potatoes and potatoes grown on a well-drained
or sandy soil will, as a rule, be dry and mealy if properly cooked.

Potatoes grown in a wet season or in a heavy, damp soil as a rule contain
too large a proportion of moisture for the starch. Old potatoes that are
allowed to sprout will be watery, probably owing to the withdrawal of
some of the starch for food for the growing sprouts.

A poisonous substance called “solanin” is found in or near the skin of
potatoes which have grown exposed to the sun or a strong light. Solanin
also develops when potatoes are allowed to sprout, and serious illness
has been known to follow the eating of exposed and sprouted potatoes.
The green color which a potato exposed to a strong light takes on is largely
due to the grains of chlorophyll developed in the parts of the tuber exposed
to the light. The strong flavor is probably due to some substance which
develops along with the chlorophyll. It will be seen that potatoes intended
for the table should not be exposed to strong light or be allowed to sprout.

Potatoes cooked in dry heat, as by baking in the oven, roasting in ashes,
frying in deep fat, or steaming in their jackets, retain all their salts
and other constituents, and the flavor is more pronounced and savory than
when cooked in water. Potatoes so cooked, however, must be served just
as soon as they are done, or else they will become soggy and bad flavored.

Potatoes cooked in the skin should be free from any blemish and washed
absolutely clean. Old potatoes, that is, potatoes that are kept into the
spring and early summer, are better for being soaked in cold water and
peeled before cooking.

BOILED POTATOES

The method and time for boiling potatoes are the same whether the potato
be peeled, partially peeled, or left with the skin intact. If a dozen
or two ordinary sized potatoes are put on the fire in a large stewpan,
and are covered generously with boiling water and a cover is immediately
put on the stewpan, they will be cooked to the proper point in thirty
minutes from the time the cover was put on the stewpan. Small potatoes
will cook in two minutes less time, and very large potatoes will require
about thirty-five minutes’ cooking.

If the potatoes are to be boiled in their skins, wash them until clean
and then with a sharp knife cut a narrow band of the skin from the center
of the potato. Cut a little bit of skin from each end of the potato. If
the potatoes are to be peeled, use a very sharp knife and remove the thinnest
possible layer. The skins may be scraped off, if preferred. There are
special knives for this purpose. Let the potatoes boil fifteen minutes,
then add one tablespoon of salt for every dozen potatoes. When the potatoes
have been cooking thirty nBmmes. drain off every drop of water and let
all the sceam pass off. They are now ready to serve, dcGgh they will not
be injured but, in fact, will be improved by being kept hot for an hour
or raoct. if they are well ventilated in such a way that they dry rather
than retain moisture.

When boiled or steamed potatoes must be kept um for any length of time,
place the stewpan on the range on a tripod or iron ring, and cover the
potatoes with one thickness of cheese cloth. This will protect them from
the cold air and allow die moisture to pass off.

BAKED POTATOES

Select potatoes having a smooth, unmarred surface. Wash perfectly clean
and let them drain. Put them in an old baking-pan kept for this purpose—do
not crowd them—and put in a hot oven. If the oven is large and hot and
the potatoes of medium size, forty minutes will answer for the cooking.
On the other hand, if the oven is filled irith cold potatoes, the temperature
of the oven will be reduced quickly and it will require an hour to cook
the potatoes. Baked potatoes should be aerred zs soon as they are done.
If they must be kept any time after the cooking is completed, break them
in order that the moisture may escape.

Keep them in a warm oven or covered with cheese cloth in a stewpan.